Fogo, Cabo Verde – July 18, 2024 – The ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) has announced the inauguration of an electrification project in Chã das Caldeiras on the island of Fogo, Cabo Verde. The project features a mini grid powered by solar photovoltaic energy and was developed in partnership with the local AgroCoopCha cooperative. Funding was provided by the Cabo Verde government, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and ECREEE through the ECOWAS Special Intervention Fund (ESIF). This initiative provides universal access to electricity for all residents for the first time.
The project includes an installed solar photovoltaic capacity of 40 kWp, a 150 kWh battery energy storage system, a 50 kVA generator, a 5-kilometer underground electricity distribution network, and a total of 210 planned connections. It aims to electrify the Chã das Caldeiras community of approximately 800 inhabitants in the crater of Pico do Fogo volcano.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Dr. Ulisses Correia e Silva, Executive Director of CEREEC Mr. Francis Sempore, Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy in Cabo Verde Ms. Margaret McElligott, Mayor of Santa Catarina Dr. Alberto Nunes, representatives from AgroCoopCha, and other government officials.
The mini-grid project in Fogo is part of several initiatives under ESIF implemented by ECREEE. This year alone, ECREEE has inaugurated clean energy projects including mini-grids, solar home systems, and solar pumping systems for drinking water and irrigation in Nigeria, The Gambia, and Togo.
ECREEE remains committed to expanding access to renewable energy, improving energy security, and mitigating climate change impacts through innovative projects. The successful electrification of Fogo represents significant progress in renewable energy within the region. Additional clean energy projects financed by ESIF are scheduled for inauguration in Benin, Ghana, and Senegal in the coming months.
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